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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23301826">Scorched Earth</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/exilefromlife/pseuds/exilefromlife'>exilefromlife</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Legacy [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>World of Warcraft</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Misuse of power, injuries</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 12:46:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,808</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23301826</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/exilefromlife/pseuds/exilefromlife</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Varian, the oldest son of Wrathion and Anduin, decides to take on a challenge.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Legacy [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1673437</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Scorched Earth</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This takes place between Chapters 5 and 6 of "Shelter from the Storm."</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Prince Varian of Blackrock Mountain isn’t one to back down from a challenge. He knew he had a great amount of power--all his kin did--and he’s seen what happens when he uses it properly. The Oculus hadn’t been a fluke, he thinks as he paces around the base of the old dwarven stronghold. No, not a fluke, just difficult because it wasn’t his domain of power. Grim Batol, on the other hand…</p><p>He’d already asked for permission to re-purpose the fortress and the mountain it sat in, not willing to sever the bridge his family had built between their kingdom and that of Khaz Modan. The dwarves had proven more than eager for the change on the condition that the dragons would hire dwarven workers before any other race. It was an easy enough agreement, especially since they tolerated underground living the best anyway.</p><p>He hums to himself as he twists a piece of his blond hair between his fingers. He has a <em>plan</em>, it was going to work, so why was he so damned nervous? Varian clicks his tongue at himself and ties his hair back in a messy bun. The last thing he needed was to have it in the way when he got started. Oh, it would disappear when he shifted into his draconic form, but he needed more finesse first.</p><p>Really, he needed opposable thumbs.</p><p>He’d spoken at length about this with Andagos, about how to tap into the leylines that weren’t his to command and boost his power. He takes the components out of the pouch on his belt and begins the arduous and frankly boring process of connecting to them. Varian ignores the throbbing behind his eyes when the connection is made. He’d expected it, after all.</p><p>Once he has the connection, he shifts into his drake form and feels the energy of the earth beneath his paws greet him eagerly. No doubt the land in this area had been starved for benevolent attention since well before he was born. He smiles to himself and remembers the lessons his papa had taught him.</p><p>The first thing he does is rid the fortress of any foul mechanisms. The taint from both Sinestra and Vexiona leaves a bitter taste in Varian’s mouth, but he pushes on. The earth is more than happy to destroy it with minimal direction from him. He instead directs his attentions toward preserving any of the original handiwork from the dwarves, only disturbing it to widen halls and add more rooms. The black dragonflight was ever growing, they needed the room.</p><p>He can feel an odd sort of weariness settling in and grumbles his displeasure. He hadn’t been expecting that to start so quickly into the process. He’d just have to push through it, he supposes. Varian anchors himself into the ground beneath him, digging his claws in.</p><p>The moment they pierce the earth, something goes drastically wrong. The weariness in his body grows exponentially, and the throbbing of his head turns into searing pain. He gasps with it, shifting to sever the connection of both the earth and the leylines. A scream rips its way from his lungs when the connection doesn’t fade, but strengthens. Tears stream down his face as he clutches his head in agony. He knows he’s still screaming as the world fades to nothing, and all he can feel is pain.</p><p>He’s not sure how long he lays there, only aware of when the pain stops abruptly, claws pried out of his mind with a soothing presence he’s known since he was an egg. Varian’s body is moved, held tight against a warm chest and rocked slowly as light flares in front of him. The tension in his body vanishes, pain pushed away by something bright and calming. It doesn’t do much to rid him of the ringing in his ears, but he still manages to hear voices.</p><p>“Is he--” His papa’s voice is thick with emotion.</p><p>A cool hand strokes through his hair, releasing it from the binding. “He’s alive, if just.” Varian tries to move at the sound of his father’s voice, but none of his muscles listen to him. “We got to him in time, Wrathion, he’ll be okay.”</p><p>His papa sobs and holds him closer, weeping into his hair. Another hand touches his body--his arm, he thinks, but he’s not sure with his nerves utterly fried by whatever had gone wrong. Varian recognizes it immediately as belonging to Andagos, the blue dragon he loved so dearly.</p><p>“I should have told you when he came to me talking about it, but I never thought he’d try it alone…” Andagos’ voice trails off as he, too, sobs.</p><p>“You did the right thing by coming to us when you felt him tap into the leylines.” His father states reassuringly. “It saved his life.”</p><p>Had he really been so close to dying? The thought of putting his family through that makes him utter a sound, fingers twitching. They’re immediately taken his father’s hands, another pulse of what he now recognizes as the Light coursing through his body.</p><p>When he’s able to open his eyes, everything is tinged red and he instantly realizes what happened. The arcane magic and magic from the earth pulled him in opposite directions and almost tore him apart. Of course they did. Two completely different schools of magic, one that didn’t recognize him in the slightest, being forced together like the same magnetic poles. <em>Idiot!</em></p><p>He must say it aloud, because his parents and his beloved all refute it in the same breath. Varian groans and lets the tears fall, unable to hid himself in his papa’s chest like he did when he was a whelp. Instead he’s on display for them to see.</p><p>“’M sorry, sorry, I--” He sobs and his papa shushes him firmly.</p><p>“Not a word about it, you hear me? I don’t care.” His forehead is kissed softly, sweat-damp strands of hair pushed away. “You’re here, you’ll be okay, that’s what matters.”</p><p>He nods, then gasps when the movement causes more pain in his head. Another touch of the Light, this time stronger, and he passes out in his family’s arms.</p><p>--</p><p>Days later, Varian manages to very slowly walk to his parents’ library and let himself in. He’s still clumsy, nerves not quite fully healed yet, but he gets to the armchair his papa is sitting in and all but falls into his lap, breathing a sigh of relief when the pressure of being upright leaves his spine. The older dragon supports him easily and waits.</p><p>“I won’t ever do anything like that again, I swear it.” He begins, glad that his voice at least is back to normal. The lacerations in his throat must have finally fully healed as well, since his tongue doesn’t taste of copper when he speaks.</p><p>The other dragon looks at him. “Just once, my darling, I’d like you to try <em>not</em> giving me a heart attack. Just <em>once</em>.”</p><p>Varian feels the tears welling up in his eyes and nods, tucking his head into his papa’s shoulders. One of his warm hands pets his hair and his voice is soft as he whispers soothing words while his son cries. When the younger dragon finally breathes out through a sob, he speaks again. “I don’t want you stifling your powers, Varian. Not ever. That’s not what we do in this family. But from now on, I humbly and <em>desperately</em> request that when you do something like <em>that</em> again, you do it with either my help or Ebyssian’s help. Do you understand why I ask this of you?”</p><p>“In case something goes wrong.”</p><p>“Yes.” He pushes Varian off his shoulder and meets his eyes. “We almost lost you forever. Your father won’t tell you this, but I will. You need to understand what happened so you don’t do it again. Do you agree?”</p><p>His papa always explained why something was done incorrectly and the results of that mistake. It always made him and his siblings consider their actions more carefully in the future. He just hadn’t ever had to consider them after something so dire. “I do.”</p><p>“Good.” He takes a breath, obviously steeling himself against the memory. “When we went through the portal, you were still seizing, but by the time we were able to land, you had died. <em>Died</em>, Varian. Your father, thank the gods, spirits, Light, <em>whatever</em>, was able to bring you back, but you were so weak that we lost you again. I don’t know how Anduin did it, but he managed to heal you enough that when he tried to revive you again, it took.”</p><p>Varian looks at him in shock. He’d known he’d been severely hurt, but to die twice? He holds onto his reaction, waiting until his papa was done.</p><p>“I can’t go through that again, Varian. With all this family has been through, losing any of you would break us. But, my darling, you were my first egg. I couldn’t survive losing you, not with everything the two of us have gone through together.” He stops, wiping the tears from his eyes. “So please, I am <em>begging</em> you, don’t do that to me or your father again. And don’t even get me started on what Andagos went through seeing that!”</p><p>“I--I didn’t know…” Varian lets himself be pulled into one of the tightest hugs he’s ever had in his life. “I swear I won’t.”</p><p>“Thank you.” His papa’s voice is so small, so <em>hurt</em>, but he still kisses his head to let Varian know he’s loved--as if it was ever a question. They stay like that for over an hour before the older dragon clears his throat. “Now that you’re up, child, you may want to contact your lover.”</p><p>Varian pulls away quickly enough that he almost topples over onto the floor, saved only by the older dragon’s lightning-quick reflexes. “I--we--that is--!”</p><p>“Nice try.”</p><p>He looks anywhere else but those glowing red eyes. “How did you know?”</p><p>“Although I’ve birthed a multitude of idiots--” The words are spoken without heat, and Varian knows he doesn’t believe they’re actually idiots. “--I myself am not one.”</p><p>“.…Fair.”</p><p>“Mm. Go--<em>carefully</em>--and speak to him before he drives us all mad, and leave me to my books. They, at least, don’t try to overextend themselves.” He kisses his son’s forehead one more time for good measure, then lets him go.</p><p>Varian slowly stands with a wince and makes his way to the library door, stopping when his papa speaks again.</p><p>“And if you don’t ask him to be your mate after <em>that</em>, well, we’ll revisit the topic of your brilliance.”</p><p>He looks over to see the older dragon smirking over the top of his book. Varian nods sheepishly and leaves the room.</p>
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